Active Duty
by Bubbleztehpwn
Summary: AU: After knowing each other for over 15 years, Amanda Hackett, John Shepard and Jeff "Joker" Moreau figure out their place in the galaxy and what it could mean for their friendship, and possible relationship.


Footsteps softly clicks echo throughout the hallow hallway, a middle-aged man made his way down the hall, numbered doors flying by them as his strides proud and long without seeming to rush but knowing they were late. In his arms a young girl – no older than 5, with curly striking red hair and round stormy grey eyes staring at the familiar area, almost knowing where they were heading. She looks up to the man and flashes him the most adorable smile, and he couldn't help but smile down at her – she turns back to their destination and begins to squeal when the recognisable bright bold letters "DAY CARE" upon the door closest to them had now remained. Expelling a soft chuckle, the young man slowly let down the small girl and opened the door awaiting for her to enter – as she does, she's met with two women, one with dark brown hair and soft hazel eyes, and another with bright cheerful green and short blonde hair.

The two small boys at the feet of the ladies quietly discuss and plan between eachother. They each have short what seemed to be military cut hair, lightly brown, the shorter boy with dark green eyes and the taller one with almost identical hazel eyes.

The two older women stop chatting, and turn to look at the man who'd just entered. Quickly saluting and muttering an "Admiral" to him. In return the young man also salutes.

"Shepard, Moreau."

He answers, looking between the two before expelling an "at ease". They all remove their hands from their foreheads before continuing the discussion, including the Admiral in it. The small red head quickly leaves the Admiral's side and makes her way to the two boys, a knowing grin passes her lips. Slight bounce in her steps pronounces her excitement at seeing the two boys, and quickly joins in on the plotting for today's activities.

After a short conversation between the adults and they being to attempt to usher the children into the Day Care. One successful, the adults turn and make their way back to the day's events, the trio continue into the confinements of the child centre, there was one woman looking after about 10 small children, around their age.

The daily and stimulating games, thought of creatively by this woman had the children screaming with laughter. Soon it was lunch time, and the children scampered off into their groups of friends, once again reuniting with the two boys, the young girl takes the lead towards the makeshift spaceship.

"Today, I will be the Commander!"

A soft whine escapes the hazel eyed boy.

"Amanda, you're _always_ the commander!"

Clearly seeing the challenge from the boy, she lets herself grin. The green eyed boy somehow glad he'd rather be the pilot.

"Well John, if you want to be the Commander, try and take it!"

John rolls his eyes at Amanda, not before looking to his friend for help.

"Come on Jeff! Don't you think it's my turn!"

The frail boy looks between the two, before he nods to John. Hoping Amanda won't make him pay too hard for his insubordination. She looks helplessly between the two before muttering a _"fine" _and standing back, letting the boys start their new adventure off. Quickly getting over losing her commander position, Amanda decides to be the enemy in this game. Claiming to be an avatar for the Turians in their re-enactment of the First Contact War.

As quickly as the game had started, it had soon to be ended with the young man from earlier entering the Day Care, calling for Amanda. She grins to her friends quickly before skipping off towards the Admiral.

"Admiral Hackett, we weren't expecting you so soon!"

The man nods to the Day Care lady, stepping inside the closed off area for the children. Muttering a few words with her, before picking up his Daughter now at his feet and walking out.

"Papa! Where are we going?"

A sad smile crosses his features, as he leaves the Day Care. He tries to figure out how to tell his little girl what had happened. A few doors away from the Child centre, he slowly puts Amanda back on the floor, staying kneeled down and maintaining eye contact.

"Amanda, your mother, she isn't feeling so good."

She looks at her father, curious as to what was going on. Many questions filtering through her mind before she agrees on the most important to ask her Father.

"What's wrong with Mama?"

Tears threatening to spill from Hackett's eyes before answering his Daughter, unsure of how she'll react to this.

"Amanda, your mother has gone to sleep. And she won't wake up ever again."

Many things could be said about children, Amanda Hackett wasn't so naive for a child her age. When the words left her Fathers mouth, she knew. They always had known this day could come, regardless of modern medicine; this was something that couldn't be cure. Amanda, puts on a brave face, refusing to cry before hugging what she could of her father, as tightly as she could.

* * *

Years had passed on Arcturus Station, Amanda, John and Jeff had remained close friends throughout school. Now in the final two years of High school before they could enlist, in which they had all agreed to do. Jeff with his heart set out on piloting, and John and Amanda with their dreams of aiding the helpless.

Currently at the age of 16, with exams and such in their short future, the three are seen hanging around a café. Discussing their usual topics, including John's current 'girlfriend'. Another yet again was jealous of the closeness between John and Amanda, although neither had expressed with the other of entertaining the thought of dating eachother. Both John and Jeff were found to have had a fair few, usually they wouldn't last long with Jeff, and he honestly no longer cared. John usually found his fun in the women then dumped them for the next hottest thing, resulting in a few slaps from ex-girlfriends.

They generally didn't last, because they couldn't accept the friendship between Amanda and John. Which didn't matter to John anyway, he was happy with the end result with these so called relationships.

After her mother's passing 11 years ago, Amanda had made sure no one saw her as weak. Commanding the respect of her peers, and her friends. They never knew of her mother, nor what had happened to her – it was tough to keep this secret from her two best friends, though they never pried about it. In their eyes, Amanda was the strongest of the three. When Jeff's mother had died from a fatal crash, leaving Jeff, his sister and Father. Amanda had taken it upon herself to make sure Jeff had grieved in the way she did not, and found herself constantly over their home, either cooking for them, or keeping them company. John would show up when he could and helped out whenever it was needed, although neither knew her own understanding to Jeff's situation.

Whilst zoning out of the conversation between Jeff and John about the current "hottie" in their high school, Amanda reflects on the passed years spent with them, fiddling with the salt on the table. Stirring it in slow circles, unaware of John and Jeff finding themselves with a new companion, one whom was seemingly known to Amanda. Her eyes slowly drift from the salt in her hand towards this new occupant, he requested to speak to her privately. Looking towards her friends and back at the stranger, she shrugs, stands and follows him outside the café. Almost unbeknownst to her, John and Jeff watching the exchange with interest, it was a first for them to see their best friend being asked for by a guy. They usually did it when she was already alone, the guys eyes filled with lust, his body language almost begging her to leave with him. Before their boy can blink, she slaps the guy across the face and swiftly makes her way back to her friends, muttering creep when she passes their seats, returning to her own.

Smirking tauntingly back at the guy, they return to a topic they can all agree on.

((A/N: I thought I would try a new story out, for myself and perhaps my sisters, long discussions of this possible storyline left me with this mini prologue))


End file.
